Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Television. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Estelle Getty dies at 84

This woman was hilarious as Sophia Patrillo on the '80's sitcom, The Golden Girls. I loved to watch that show and laugh at the older grandmother role.
Here is an article about Estelle I found that gives a little more info on some other things she did.
____________________________

Emmy winner beloved for 'Golden Girls' role

By Duane Byrge

July 22, 2008, 01:52 PM ET

Estelle Getty, who played meddling mother Sophia on "The Golden Girls," died Tuesday morning. She was 84.

Getty, who suffered from advanced dementia, died around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday at her Hollywood Boulevard home, said her son, Carl Gettleman of Santa Monica.

Getty won an Emmy Award in 1988 for her portrayal of the feisty octogenarian. For her role as Sophia, Getty also notched a Golden Globe Award in 1986. She also received an American Comedy Award.

Getty co-starred on "Golden Girls" from 1985-92 and reprised the tart-tongued Sophia on four other TV series: "The Golden Palace," "Nurses," "Empty Nest" and "Blossom." Getty was two months younger than Arthur, but the illusion of her age was maintained through makeup, costume and her deportment.

In similar vein of take-no-prisoners elder, Getty played Sylvester Stallone's domineering mother, Tutti Bomowski, in "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot." Generically, it was a battling-buddy movie whose comic thrust was the diminutive Getty's bossing around her L.A. lawman son.

Getty was 47 when she got her first significant role in an off-Broadway musical: She gained immediate prominence when she played in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play "Torch Song Trilogy," playing Harvey Fierstein's acidic mother.

She played Grandma Estelle Little in "Stuart Little" in 1999, and more recently played Sister Roseanne" in "The Million Dollar Kid."

She also appeared on "Hollywood Squares" in 1998.

Born as Estelle Scher on July 25, 1923, in New York City, she acted at an early age, performing in the "borscht belt" circuit. In 1923, she married Arthur Gettleman and raised their two children in Queens. While married, she worked as a secretary in a law office, but continue to act in small theater in New York.

She won her first movie part in 1978 in the teen comedy "Team Mates: Young Gangs of Wildwood High." She also garnered small parts in "Tootsie" and "Mask," in which she played the mother of Cher's character. The same year, she played Barry Manilow's mother in the TV movie "Copacabana."

Her movie career accelerated when she played the mannequin's (Kim Cattrall) mother in "Mannequin" (1987).

She retired in 2000 after revealing she was suffering from Parkinson's disease. Two years later, she announced she was suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Getty's other films credits include "Deadly Force," "The Sissy Duckling," "A Match Made in Heaven" and "The Golden Fleece," all filmed in the '90s.

Getty wrote an autobiography, "If I Knew Then What I Know Now ... So What?" In it, she summarized: "I've played mothers to heroes and mothers to zeroes."

Getty made numerous TV guest star appearances, including: "Cagney & Lacey," "Hotel," "Newhart," "The Crew," "The John Larroquette Show," "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," "Touched by an Angel," "Mad About You" and "Ladies Man."

Saturday, May 3, 2008

John Adams... (part 2)

So, I have now completed the extraordinary 7 part HBO miniseries - John Adams. This is part 2 from an earlier blog I wrote about 10 things I didn't know about John Adams...... Here are 10 more things I learned about our Founding Fathers.
John Adams Abigail Adams
  • John was an ambassador to England at the same time the Constitution was being written. This was one of the lowest times in Mr. Adams life.
  • Jefferson and Adams had a huge falling out of their friendship while bitterly campaigning against each other for President.
  • The White House was a decrepit place when the Adams moved in....roof leaks, no walkways from the outside mud.
  • Adams kept all of President Washington's Cabinet members for the unity of the states.
  • Adams hated Jefferson so much....he skipped Jefferson's Inaugural
  • Abigail died peacefully in John's arms a few years before he died

  • John Adams got to see his son, John Quincy Adams become the 6th President of the US.

  • John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were both asked to attend the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence. Both declined for health reasons to attend. Both died on July 4th, 1826.......50 years after they wrote and signed the Declaration of Independence.

  • John Adams thought he died before Jefferson...so his last words were, "Jefferson Survives". Little did he know, he outlasted Jefferson by several hours.

  • Out of all the Founding Father's of our country, John Adams still has no monument, nor has he been put on any currency, or statue in our capital. John Adams is one of the reasons this country exists......and he's been utterly forgotten, until now



If you missed this wonderful event, HBO has just announced the release of the 3-disk DVD on June 30.
http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/news/John-Adams-DVDs-Announced/9243

Thursday, April 17, 2008

John Adams...(part 1)

Okay.... so I've only just seen the first half of the wonderfully insightful HBO mini-series John Adams, but I love it immensely. Here are 10 things I didn't know about one of our Founding Fathers, the remarkable John Adams.

"John Adams"
  • John Adams, being a man of law and who felt deeply this new country must abide by the law to be a sovereign country, successfully defended 8 British soldiers, whom accidentally killed 5 Bostonians. (This was before Independence)

  • It was John Adams who persuaded General George Washington to help Massachusetts's cause and fight the British soldiers, which later propelled Washington to become our first President.

  • Adams was separated from his wife, Abigail, for half of their first 14 years of marriage. (Due to their farm being in Massachusetts and he being needed in the Congress)

  • Abigail raised 4 children alone, on a Massachusetts farm with no slaves....only a few hired hands aided her.

  • John Adams and his son, John Quincy, went to France right after Independence Day to beg for more NAVAL assistance to help fight the British. He, along with Benjamin Franklin, was our first Ambassador. (This was after the 14 years of marriage)

  • John Adams sent his son, John Quincy, at the age of 14 to be a secretary for a diplomat in St. Petersburg, Russia. JQA stayed in Russia until he was ready to go to Harvard at 17.

  • While John was away, Abigail made her and her children take a vaccination of small pox. They had to put the blood of a pox victim into their own bloodstream; which gave them the pox, but they could control it better and not die.

  • John Adams was fired by Congress as the Ambassador of France, and later became the Ambassador of England (thankless job, indeed)....all while the Constitution was being written and enacted.

  • Adams got deathly ill in Europe and almost died....Abigail would soon join him in France, leaving her children to someone else.

  • John Adams had a crazy bad temper and was solidly stubborn; however, Abigail, knew just how to tame him. He responded very well to her in an age where men thought women of little worth.
After viewing the next half of the mini-series,
I'll see if there are 10 more things
I didn't know about Mr. John Adams and continue this game.
This mini-series was based on the acclaimed biography,
John Adams, by David McCullough



John Adams

Thursday, April 10, 2008

SHOUT IT OUT!!!!!!

First with Dolly singing Jesus and Gravity last week....and now this. I do believe someone at the idol has recently accepted Jesus as their personal savior.

Idols Give a SHOUT TO THE LORD



Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Not so inspiring

Very disappointed in last night's idol......I mean some of the best voices and it just was a little dull. Or maybe I was in the wrong mood...I wanted to love them.

I'm worried about my girl Carly....hopefully she has a fan base that will carry her on. Personally, I loved her edginess.....don't know why the judges knocked her down.



Michael and David Cook both were decent but not WOW..... but that little David Archuleta can blow. I mean.....I don't know if I've ever heard anyone that just was born to sing like he is.




I want Kristie Lee Cook to go SOOOOOOO bad; however she didn't do too bad on Martina McBride's Anyway.
Sayesha should be packing her bags tonight while "COOL" Jason Castro enjoys the spotlight for the greatest inspiring performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.


Thursday, April 3, 2008

"I got Jesus...you got Simon"

Ok..... so has someone in the upper power echelon of American Idol recently received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior?

This week was so much Jesus-themed without the usual backlash from the judges. (Remember
Mandisa being called "overly indulgent" for singing Shackles back in 2006?)



I mean, don't get me wrong..... I LOVE IT. This week was awesome. Thanks all to Dolly Parton. Her songs are making an impact in the popular culture of music....what a thing to see.

From Jason Castro's "Travelin' Thru" -
Questions I have many, answers but a few
But we're here to learn, the spirit burns, to know the greater truth
We've all been crucified and they nailed Jesus to the tree
And when I'm born again, you're gonna see a change in me

God made me for a reason and nothing is in vain
Redemption comes in many shapes with many kinds of pain
Oh sweet Jesus if you're listening, keep me ever close to you
As I'm stumblin', tumblin', wonderin', as I'm travelin' thru

To "little" David Archuleta's endearing version of "Smoky Mountain Memories" -
Oh and these northern nights they're dreary
And my southern eyes are teary
As I wonder how the old folks are back home
But I'll keep leanin' on my Jesus
He'll love and guide and lead us
The Smoky Mountains memories keep me strong

To Dolly's own performance of "Jesus & Gravity" on last night's results show ( if anybody needed any proof of her faith; they should've been satisfied by her musical testimony last night)

Somethin' lifting me up
Somethin' holding me down
Somethin' to give me wings and
Somethin' to keep my feet on the ground
I've got all i need, Jesus and gravity

He's my friend
He's my light
He's my wings
Jesus, I've got Jesus, I've got Jesus
He's my everything
He lifts me up
He gives me wings
He gives me hope
and He gives me strength
and that's all I'll ever need

As long as He keeps lifting me up
He is my life
He is my God
He is my wings
He is my flight
Lift me, I've got Jesus, I've got Jesus
and that's all I need

Top it all off with the Clark Brother's rendition of "This Little Light of Mine/ Jesus on the Mainline" (including the verses "Won't let Satan blow it out" and "if you need a healing") - and we've got a little Holy Ghost Revival on the Idol.



Of course, it all was topped off by the great line of Dolly Parton's when Ryan Seacrest was asking if Simon Cowell could still have his free pass to Dollywood ( even though he exposed some contrasting opinions with Dolly on the subject of song choice with some contestants). Being gracious, Dolly said that Simon could still have the pass anytime..... and that he was a special man...... so when Ryan asked if she was mad or upset with Simon, Dolly gave the line of the night, " Oh that's okay. I've got Jesus....you've got Simon". To which Ryan replied, "Well, we got the raw end of that stick"